A half dozen intrepid explorers walked a narrow forest trail on Madre Selva Preserve in Amazonian Peru, each apparently stepping over a patch of leaves on the trail. They walked a few hundred yards beyond, then turned and retraced their steps.

As they neared the bit of leaf cover on the return trek, the head of a small snake was seen protruding from beneath the leaves. Carefully collecting the snake, they brought with them to the field station the only pygmy black-backed coral snake, Leptomicrurus scutiventris, we have yet seen there.

The snake was photographed and released exactly where it had been found -- note that a single ring of yellow on the head and one or two rings of orange on the tail are the normal pattern for this snake:



This species attains a length of about 18 inches but is usually smaller. Remaining is the question of whether this tiny elapine snake is actually rare or merely secretive? But for those of you who believe the red to yellow rhyme (red to yellow, kill a fellow; red to black, venom lack) infallible, take note. This is just one of the many neotropical coral snakes to which the familiar ditty does not apply.

More photos under the jump...